Photo: Wechat account of Sinopharm

The COVID-19 neutralizing antibody detection kit (ELISA) produced by Shanghai Geneodx, a subsidiary of Sinopharm, has received approval for public use from UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). 

The approval came on Tuesday in a classification letter from the MOHAP that grants the product status clearance as medical device, according to a statement made by Sinopharm's subsidiary China National Biotec Group on Sunday. 

The detection kit produced by Shanghai Geneodx has been approved for public use in Serbia, Montenegro, the UAE and other countries.

The UAE was the first country in the world to approve the registration and marketing of Sinopharm's inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in December, 2020. 

The country announced on August 2 the approval of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between 3 and 17 after its efficacy in that age group was verified.